I really wanted to tell you about some of the fascinating folk we have met along the way...they all have such interesting stories to tell...
- Our favourite family - In Mt Gambier we met Scott & Carissa and kids from Geraldton in WA. Lovely people who were spending their Chrissy holidays in Tasmania, (short little trip from WA!) and we have been keeping in contact with them ever since. They drove some massive km's with a 1700km drive recorded in a single day! Still dont know how they did that! We are going to catch up with them when we arrive in Geraldton, hopefully in the next couple of weeks.
- The guy with the biggest heart - We met Craig in Rapid Bay, SA. Such a fascinating guy with so many travel and real life stories, yet one of the most sincere and genuine individuals you could ever meet. He heads up to Alice Springs mustering cattle on remote stations and had great stories about his time up there and we had great indepth talks over some stubbies about the real meanings of life...just needs to find himself a good woman, he'd be a great catch!
- The German cyclists - Met this couple for the first time way back in Port Victoria, SA. Every year during the German winter holidays, they come out to Australia for 8 weeks to cycle around, and have been doing so for the last 14 years. The fella was nearly 70 and she would have been hitting her 60's. The thought of driving in a car was a a hideous notion to them and she made me feel like a total sloth when I told her we were doing our touring in a car...and she had so much of a better body than me!!! ... And its not just round the block rides, they ride some major km's, this trip they were cycling the Eyre Peninsula and then riding back over to Melbourne...each year they do a different stretch of Southern Australia (they said North too hot this time of year to cycle)... they travel with the absolute bare minimums, a couple of little bags on their bikes, they live off bananas, and she has 5 coffees of a morning before they head off, usually early about 5am before it gets too hot... puts us to toal shame! The funny thing about these two is that we kept seeing them on our travels in SA and they always managed to reach the next town before we did! Now I know we were going a bit slow but they freaked me out every time we saw them! It almost felt like they were following us...or more like it - we were actually following them!
- The Miner - We met Ed on the Nullarbor, at the Nullarbor Motel campsite. It was blowing an absolute gale and I felt so sorry for this poor guy who had parked his Cruiser out in the wind when we had found this great sheltered spot behind a backpackers quarters. Mark went over to him and asked if he wanted to come over near us where he would be more protected from the elements. So he did and we got chatting and found out he was a diesel mechanic on his way from Cairns to Perth and was to start work in the mines. He was 26 and had the world at his feet, ready to fly in - fly out from Perth to one of the mines presumably in the Pilbara to make some big $$$.
- The new puppy - Also at the Nullarbor Motel site there was a couple who responded to an ad for a 'blue heeler x pup- free to good home' that was advertised in the shop there. These guys were in a little tent being totally belted by the wind, and we saw this ute pull up with this adorable little puppy with a bandage on his leg. They said he was a blue heeler cross but Mark said he thought it was actually more like 90% Doberman and 10% Heeler (these guys obviously didnt know their dog breeds very well!!) but so cute and they put a little bandanna around his neck and named him "Nullar". They are going to get a lovely suprise as this pup grows up!!!
- The Alexandra connection - Its funny that whenever you see a Victorian numberplate you get so excited and it makes an instant conversation starter! In Streaky Bay we met a couple in a A-Van, got chatting, they were from Melbourne and he actually went to school in Alexandra when it was a joint Primary/ Secondary school. What a small world! He is a retired teacher and they head off every year for 6 weeks to volunteer teach at remote cattle stations, and they love it.
- The Ballarat connection - In Esperance the car/campsite next to us also had Victorian numberplates so we got chatting and they were actually from Ballarat! (Where Mark and I were both born and bred!) She is a nurse at St John of God Hospital and he actually went to Ballarat Uni to do teaching around the time Mark was there, but they didnt recognise each other. They were taking 12 months to tour and work in WA.
- The fellow Trak Shak owners - you have no idea what excitement reigns when we see another Trak Shak or they see us! It is like this instant club membership where you can start a conversation when you dont know these people for quids but you know they must be ok if they have a Trak Shak and the same in return! (Well in most instances anyway!). At our last camp a local couple pulled up who had a Trak Shak and minutes later they wanted to take Mark fishing. We hadn't had lunch yet and were still unpacking so he missed out. Later that day another bloke comes over, also a Trak Shak owner and in a short space of time the maps are out and he's showing Mark some fishing and camping hotspots along the southern WA coast that aren't in any tourist books, along with his address and number if Mark had any more questions or simply just wanted to drop in for a beer!!!
- The Grey Nomads - Now where do I begin... they are absolutely everywhere!!! At the park we are in at the moment it feels like we are in a retirement village! Now I am not at all ageist, but some of these oldies are on walking frames! Now good on 'em, and I hope I can be doing this when I am that age, but we are certainly the youngest travellers around...and we dont have too much in common unfortunately but to remind them how much they miss their grandkids...fingers crossed we meet some other younger travellers soon...I am starting to call Mark 'love' and 'dear' and my grey hairs are starting to make me look like one of them...he he
Find it at www.seek.com.au Your Future Starts Here. Dream it? Then be it!
